Examiner Bureau | Jammu:
A man allegedly involved in the 1991 Jammu railway station bomb blast has been arrested in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district after evading law enforcement for nearly 35 years, police said on Thursday.
The accused, identified as Altaf Hussain Sheikh, son of Nazir Ahmed Sheikh and a resident of Marhama-Bijbehara in Anantnag, was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP), Jammu, following an extensive manhunt.
Police said Sheikh had allegedly concealed his identity after the blast and had been living in the Bijbehara area while operating as a businessman.
According to police, Sheikh was among four accused who allegedly carried out the bombing at Platform Number 1 of Jammu railway station in 1991. The blast claimed the lives of three people, including two paramilitary personnel, and left 18 civilians injured.
One of the accused, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested on the day of the blast, while the remaining three allegedly managed to escape and subsequently went underground. They were later declared absconders by the concerned court.
Police said the Railway Police intensified efforts to trace the absconding accused over the past two years. Investigators subsequently identified Sheikh and verified his identity by examining his personal and residential records.
“Railway (GRP) Police Jammu arrests an absconding terrorist booked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act,” police said in a statement.
According to the police, the investigation eventually led officers to Sheikh, who was allegedly living under a concealed identity and had established himself as a successful businessman in the Bijbehara area.
“During the investigation, one accused, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested, while three other accused persons escaped and could not be arrested at that time and were declared absconders by the concerned court,” police said.
The police said sustained efforts by the investigation team ultimately resulted in Sheikh’s arrest.
Following his arrest, Sheikh was produced before the TADA Court on August 13 for further legal proceedings, police said.
The arrest marks a significant development in a case dating back more than three decades and underscores the continued efforts of law-enforcement agencies to trace individuals who have remained absconders in long-pending militancy-related cases.
Police said further legal proceedings against the accused will now be initiated in accordance with the law.
The authorities are also continuing efforts to trace the remaining accused linked to the case.
